


Gifts

by Siver



Category: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Genre: Fluff, Gen, for all your fluff needs well my fluff needs anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-26 00:28:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15652050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siver/pseuds/Siver
Summary: Gift giving between our trio for various occasions at various times in their lives.





	Gifts

It wasn’t ideal, Jowd thought as he cautiously handled the old book while waiting for Alma in the small diner. Maybe this was a mistake. Yes, Alma seemed to have a fondness for used bookstores and yes she’d been looking for this particular book for a while now, but this old and ragged thing wasn’t present-worthy, was it? He bit back his reservations as Alma entered, spotted him with a smile and hurried over to take the seat opposite him.

“I’ve got something for you,” Jowd said. “I know you were looking. I’m afraid I could only find a used copy…” he trailed off and passed her the book across the table.

Alma’s eyes lit up as she took it from him. “You found a copy! Oh, it’s wonderful.”

“It’s pretty ragged,” Jowd said doubtfully. Maybe he should have searched more. His worries were interrupted by a forceful shake of Alma’s head.

“But don’t you see? That’s what makes it wonderful!” she exclaimed as she caressed the creased and battered spine. “The words on the pages remain the same, but every book has its own stories to tell.”

As he watched her flip through the book, bright eyed, and running gentle fingers over the worn pages, he wondered how often he would fall in love with her all over again.

 

* * *

 

Alma entered the police station and it didn’t take long to spot Cabanela at his desk amidst a clutter of papers. She tucked the bouquet of flowers and bag behind her back and strolled over.

Cabanela craned his head back to look at her as she approached.

“Nooow this is a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you, baby?”

“I can hardly leave our birthday boy alone, can I?” She looked around curiously. “And speaking of alone, where is Jowd anyway?”

“Stuck in a meeting for the last hour,” Cabanela said and the sparkle in his eyes betrayed the vaguest attempt at sympathy.

“Poor dear,” Alma replied while eying the paperwork littering Cabanela’s desk and left it up to him as to who exactly she was referring to. Either or both seemed fitting.

She took out the flowers from behind her back. “Anyway, these are for you. Happy Birthday!”

She deftly slid his papers aside enough to leave some space in the corner while maintaining their order and set the flowers down.

“Prettiest desk in the station!” Cabanela chirped as he beamed at them.

“And this,” she said as she set the bag on his desk as well. “Lunch,” she added in response to his questioning look.

“Why, thaaank you baby!”

“Just be careful not to ruin your appetite for dinner, is what I would say, but I’ve yet to see anything that convinces me our hummingbird is capable of such a thing.”

“Couuuld be if the offerings weren’t so irresiiistible,” Cabanela replied.

“Flatterer.” Alma bent down to kiss him on the cheek before straightening to leave. “See you at six, sweetheart.”

“Lookin’ forward to it!”

 

* * *

 

Cabanela sauntered over to Jowd’s desk, balancing both their mugs. He set Jowd’s down as he leaned against the desk. Jowd gave him an absent-minded nod, picked up the mug then froze. He shot a look at his old mug still sitting on his desk, untouched, and Cabanela knew then he was about as distracted as expected.

Jowd frowned up at Cabanela who only smiled back with a sip of his own coffee.

“What’s this?”

“Tuuurn it baby.”

“#1 Dad,” Jowd read and snorted after a brief pause. “A bit early for that, isn’t it?”

“Preemptive action!” Well wishes, certainties and so forth. “Any day nooow.” Or one might think any hour based on Jowd’s tension levels.

Jowd’s mouth tightened. It would be a great relief on all fronts when the little one came out into the world, Cabanela thought to himself.

“It’s all gonna be just fine. Besiiiides,” he drawled and caught Jowd’s eye with every sparkle he had in him. “Would I lieee to you baby?”

Jowd chuckled after a moment. “Lies? No. Can’t speak for absurdity.” He took a sip of the coffee and frowned in confusion. “This isn’t from the canteen.”

“You insult me if you think I’d taint your new present with that swill.”

“Then where…? You know what, never mind. I’d rather not know.”

“Good! I have to keep sooome secrets.”

Cabanela swung away to return to his desk only to spin round as Jowd called his name.

“I’m sure it has nothing to do with the thermos at your desk,” he said.

“I belieeeve the mug says ‘dad’, not ‘detective.’”

Jowd only took another drink of his coffee with a grin and Cabanela turned back with a smile. Jerk.

 

* * *

 

Cabanela whirled into his new office and took in the sight of his new desk and chair. The filing cabinet off to one side (yuck). A small table tucked against the wall, useful. The desk was rather barren, containing nothing except a phone sitting on the corner, but he knew that wouldn’t last for long.

No, his desk wasn’t as empty as he thought, he realized as he approached. Someone had come before him, leaving a small item on it. He recognised the object immediately. After all he’d seen Lynne wear one multiple times. What would she do when she got her real detective’s badge, he wondered.

On closer inspection he realized this toy badge wasn’t quite the same. It wasn’t ‘Detective’ written on it, but “Inspector.”

“Just what are you tryin’ to say, baby?”

But he tucked the badge into his coat next to his real badge with a smile, and he knew which of them held more importance.

A single knock heralded Jowd’s entrance and Cabanela pivoted on his heel to greet him.

“Settling into your new office?” Jowd asked as he entered.

“Not the first one here,” Cabanela replied.

Jowd only nodded and passed him a small, slim box.

“What’s thiiis? Another present?” Cabanela asked. “I’m touched.”

Cabanela lifted the lid, revealing a silver and gold fountain pen.

“Seeing as how it’s just become a step more difficult for my pens to find their way to your desk,” Jowd said as his beard twitched with amusement, “I figured I’d help things along.”

“A looovely thing,” Cabanela said as he toyed with the pen between his fingers.

He felt a small pang. It was true. They’d be busier than ever, each having their own divisions to contend with. On the other hand, he thought, perking up, the situation was rife for cross divisional collaboration and competition. Things were going to get reaaal interesting.

And paperwork laden, the pen in his hand reminded him. Thanks Jowd. Alas, prices to pay.

“Make sure you’re not late on your first day,” Jowd said as he started to leave. “Alma is planning quite the celebratory dinner.”

“Wouldn’t dreaaam of it!”

 

* * *

 

“Ma’am?”

Alma looked from her desk. “Yes, Chloe?”

“There’s a man here to see you. May I send him in or schedule an appointment?”

Alma blinked. Now who…? She wasn’t expecting anyone until two that afternoon and had rather been looking forward to her clear morning to catch up.

Curiosity won out. “Send him in please. Thank you Chloe.”

Chloe ducked out and shortly after Cabanela whirled in. Before she could fully absorb his presence she found her vision filled with flowers.

“Haaappy Anniversary baby!”

“Um,” Alma said. “But that’s months away.” She shot a look at her calendar. Surely she hadn’t lost track of time this badly. No, no, of course not.

“Your company,” Cabanela said patiently.

Oh! She knew it had been coming, but she’d been so swamped she had forgotten. Trust Cabanela to remember.

“Thank you!”

Cabanela set the flowers down and only then did Alma notice the fancy box next to them. She recognised it: chocolates, good ones at that.

“Fuel for a busy day,” Cabanela said when he caught her looking at them.

Alma pulled the flowers closer to smell them. “These are beautiful, thank you. And those,” she added with another look at the chocolates, “will be greatly appreciated.”

Something he was well aware of, she guessed, judging by the knowing look he passed over her paperwork.

“No poiiint in savin’ them!” Cabanela said as he bowed himself out of her office. “Have a looovely day!”

Honestly, she thought later, as she eyed the assortment of chocolates again. How many did he think she could eat in a day? Buuut, another one wouldn’t hurt.

 

* * *

 

The house was dark when Jowd entered. Odd. It took him a moment to realize there was a faint flickering light coming from the living room. He shrugged off his coat and stifled a yawn as he moved to the room. What a day. What a week—month if he was honest. Even Cabanela started to show the faintest hints of strain.

“Alma?”

He entered the living room and found the TV on, playing a black and white title screen he didn’t recognise. Some new rubber monstrosity of a monster was on display. The coffee table was laid out with a bucket of chicken from the Chicken Kitchen, a bowl of popcorn, drinks, and other snacks.

Arms slipped around him from behind.

“Kamila’s sleeping over at Amelie’s,” Alma said. “And it has come to my attention that you need a date night. I found a new movie. It looks truly terrible.”

Jowd laughed. “Looking forward to it!”

“Then…” Alma said as she slipped around to his side. She kissed him before taking his arm. “We’d better get to it.”

They settled into the couch. Alma nestled into his arm as she passed him the chicken and took the popcorn for herself. The split didn’t last of course as they quickly fell to nibbling at each other’s snacks between laughing at both the movie and their jokes at its expense.

One movie turned to another as they returned to old favourites. Jowd sighed in contentment. Yes, this was exactly what was needed.


End file.
